Cover Design By: Anna Kuglar & Star Neil | The Signpost
By JAMES GORDON Reporter
Fighting on the ice
On Feb. 15, a Weber State University police officer was dispatched to the Weber County Ice Sheet for a dispute over a children’s hockey game. Parents of one team were upset when a coach broke up a fight between two players where one child was punching another. The officer separated the two parties and determined the coach acted legally when breaking up the fight.
Snowball showdown
On Feb. 16, a Weber State police officer responded to a report of criminal mischief at University Boulevard. Police were made aware of an athletic team throwing snowballs
at residence windows. Officers spoke with the two parties and informed participants not to do it again.
Wheels of rebellion
On. Feb. 18, WSU officers were called to respond to a juvenile disturbance at the Student Services building. At arrival, officers found children riding skateboards in the building. Officers noticed clothing that matched a prior theft and damage incident and were able to close the two cases. Officers contacted the children’s parents and referred them to the court system for a possible charge diversion.
Frosty fortresses
On Feb. 19, a WSUPD officer responded to a group of children digging tunnels in a large snow bank at the Dee Events Center. After Facilities Management told them to stop, the children continued to dig tunnels. Upon arrival, police observed two groups of children, one group digging the tunnel with the other making a slide out of the snow bank. The police officer helped the kids fill in the tunnel and explained the danger of snow caving in on them. The children understood and left.
Blocked ramp
On Feb. 20, Weber State police responded to a parking problem at the Dee Events Center. Upon arrival, police spoke with the complainant, who had gotten stuck in the
snow with a wheelchair because of two vehicles blocking the access to a wheelchair ramp. The officer talked to the two parties, helping to move the cars and assisting the individual in accessing the ramp. The officer shoveled the APA ramp and cleared the scene.
Disruption incident
On Feb. 20, WSUPD responded to a suspicious circumstance at The Institute of Religion for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Officers arrived and spoke with faculty and received insight on a situation involving a student, including consistent interrupting and an outburst. The institute told police they did not want any law enforcement action. Police provided resources to handle disruptions future.
CATCHING UP WITH THE CANDIDATES: 2025 WSUSA PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION
By GRACIE STEPHENSON Editor
As the spring semester reaches a midway point, Weber State University’s Student Association holds its annual student body elections.
The presidential debate took place on Feb. 25, where candidates Mia Foster and Jacob Guy were able to publicly discuss over Zoom what their ideals and goals were if they were to be elected.
Foster’s campaign is built around her three pillars of transparency, community and responsibility as well as “Fostering action through leadership,” whereas Guy’s campaign is about “Igniting Wildcat pride.”
“I really want to transform the culture at Weber. I really want everyone to love it here and to ignite school spirit and to ignite Wildcat pride,” Guy said.
While Guy has big hopes and plans for the
future of Weber, Foster has seen in her experience how it generally plays out.
“I am really big and open about my goals on campus with being a current executive, I know the realistic energy of what it’s like. I’ve seen leadership positions of people coming in and saying they’re going to do all these big things, but it’s just not realistic, unfortunately,” Foster said.
These ideals were visually showcased during the debate and around campus through each candidate’s attire. Foster could be seen in business casual attire throughout her campaign, whereas Guy could be pointed out by his purple cape, a purple bandana tied around his head, his purple face paint and his other Weber gear.
“I feel like [this look] is very real and very approachable. I feel like it also draws people in, where everyone wants to be somewhere that they love, and everyone wants to have that
school spirit. My hope is just to be completely authentic and just true to myself in that I love hyping people up, and I think people feel that, and it’s contagious,” Guy said.
Foster has an opposing opinion.
“I think in these instances it’s great to have fun, and I love the fun aspect of it, but change is real, and action is real, and sometimes having that professional foot is important. You have to show that it isn’t just a joke with these positions,” Foster said.
Each candidate currently serves in a WSUSA leadership role, Guy as chief of staff and Foster as the executive vice president, which they believe gives them qualifications to serve as president.
Also running for WSUSA leadership positions are Nathan McKnight and Annyssa Reyes for executive vice president; for vice president of activities, Jacqueline Hatch and Ashlynn Stokes; for vice president of advocacy and
unity, Krystal Orantes and Akanksha Singh; for vice president for clubs and organizations is Madelyn Federico, Hriyona Khatri and Krishna Lamsal; for president for leadership is Mazie Abbott, Lawrence Anang, Bergen Billings and Joseph Trotter and for vice president for the Davis campus is Angelea Hansen.
“I think the difference is Mia wants to change the way things are and I want to change the way things feel, and I think voters just have to choose which they prefer,” Guy said.
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TOP LEFT: A group of WSUSA members gather for a senate meeting. BOTTOM LEFT: Rows of billboards displaying WSUSA candidates hang up in the Shepard Union building. RIGHT: Atendees listen in the WSUSA meeting.
VASELINE THE BAND PLAYS “IN THE FISH BOWL”
By JARED MITCHELL Reporter
Weber State University’s radio station, KWCR, hosted this semester’s first “In the Fish Bowl” show with Ogden’s own Vaseline the Band on Feb. 21. Similar to NPR’s Tiny Desk Concerts where artists perform live music in a small recording studio, the show featured the band’s new EP, “Middle Distance,” and an interview with the band members.
The fifth-wave punk group consists of Matt Moulding and Logan Jones on guitar and vocals, Brady Griffiths on drums and vocals and Marcos Salas on bass. Despite all these creative perspectives, their writing process is highly collaborative.
“We all worked together on the structure,” Griffiths said. “Me and Matt trade off on vocals, and everybody wrote their own parts, and we all work together a lot. Recently, it’s been a lot of solo writing.”
They’ve found that writing individually and bringing ideas to the group helps them overcome writer’s block and create more effectively.
“I think we all have different flow states,” Moulding said. “We all go through waves where we’re all super productive.”
When evaluating their songs, the band did not rely on their own opinions. They invited friends and family over to listen in on the recording process to give feedback on each track. Moulding said that thanks to this weeklong endeavour, they were able to add elements to their songs they had not thought of during the initial writing process.
“I came up with the second lead line for the end of ‘!Francheskaar!’ and I didn’t want to have to mic up my amp, so I just plugged into the bass amp that has a direct input and recorded that,” Moulding said. “I think if it wasn’t for us being there for a week straight and just having nothing but creative output,
we wouldn’t have done small stuff like that.”
The band had a lot of fun performing on KWCR. They were nervous but happy with how the interview and performance went.
KWCR will hold six more “In the Fish Bowl” performances throughout the semester emphasizing alternative rock. They can be watched live at the KWCR station in the Shepherd Union or on KWCR’s Twitch channel. The next performance will feature the band Mopsy on Feb. 28 at 6 p.m.
The future for Vaseline the Band holds a lot of hope and opportunity. The group is currently working on an album that is halfway done and will be going on tour this summer, starting at the end of July, performing shows in Boise, Idaho; Portland, Oregon; Seattle, Washington; and Sacramento and San Francisco, California.
Matt Moulding jamming and singing during Vaseline the Band’s performance at “In the Fish Bowl” on Feb. 21.
LA BANDA VASELINE TOCA EN “IN THE FISH BOWL”
Por NATHANAEL STOUT Traductor
Por JARED MITCHELL Reportero
La estación de radio de la Universidad de Weber State, llamada KWCR, presentó el primer programa de “In the Fish Bowl” (en la pecera) del semestre con Vaseline the Band, una banda de Ogden el 21 de febrero. Similar a los Tiny Desk Concerts (conciertos de la oficina pequeña) de NPR en que los artistas presentan música en vivo en un estudio de grabación pequeño, el programa mostró el nuevo EP de la banda, “Middle Distance”, y una entrevista con los miembros de la banda.
El grupo de punk de quinta ola consiste de Matt Moulding y Logan Jones con la guitarra y voz, Brady Griffiths con la batería y voz y Marcos Salas con el bajo. A pesar de todas las perspectivas creativas, su proceso de escritura es altamente colaborativo.
resultados de la entrevista y la música.
KWCR tendrá seis programas de “In the Fish Bowl” durante el semestre para destacar el rock alternativo. Pueden mirarse en vivo en la estación de KWCR en el Shepherd Union, o en el canal de Twitch de KWCR. Su proxima programa tendrá a la banda Mopsy el 28 de febrero a las seis de la tarde.
El futuro de Vaseline the Band tiene mucha esperanza y oportunidades. El grupo actualmente está trabajando en un nuevo álbum que está a la mitad terminado e irán en una gira este verano, empezando al final de julio, con conciertos en Boise, Idaho; Portland, Oregon; Seattle, Washington; y Sacramento y San Francisco, California.
ARRIBA: Uno de los guitarristas, Logan Jones prueba su instrumento.
ABAJO: Brady Griffiths se sienta y charla antes de que sea momento de tocar.
“Todos nosotros trabajamos juntos en la estructura”, dijo Griffiths. “Yo y Matt nos turnamos con la voz, y todos escribimos nuestras propias secciones, y trabajamos juntos mucho. Recientemente, ha involucrado mucha sola escritura”.
Se dieron cuenta que escribir a solas y traer las ideas al grupo los ayuda a superar el bloqueo de escritor y crear más eficazmente.
“Creo que todos tenemos estados de flujo diferentes”, dijo Moulding. “Todos tenemos momentos en que estamos super productivos”.
Cuando evaluaba sus canciones, la banda no dependía de sus propias opiniones. Invitaron a amigos y familia a venir y escuchar el proceso de grabación y dar comentarios sobre cada canción. Moulding dijo que gracias a este esfuerzo de una semana, fueron capaces de añadir elementos a sus canciones que no fueron ideados durante el proceso de escritura inicial.
“Ideó la segunda línea principal para el final de “!Francheskaar!” y no quería tener que arreglar mi micrófono, entonces conecté con el amplificador de bajo que tiene una entrada directa y lo grabé”, dijo Moulding. “Creo que si estuviéramos allí durante una semana entera sin tener nada más que ideas, no hubiéramos hecho cosas pequeñas así”.
La banda se divirtió con presentarse en KWCR. Estaban nerviosos pero felices con los
MAIL-IN BALLOTS AT RISK: WHAT HB 300 COULD MEAN FOR FUTURE ELECTIONS
By JAMES GORDON Reporter
On Feb. 25, Utah lawmakers advanced House Bill 300 to the Senate, a measure that would overhaul the state’s mail-in voting system by requiring voters to return ballots in person.
HB 300, introduced in the 2025 legislature by Rep. Jefferson S. Burton, would restrict most voters from submitting their mail-in ballots at a polling station with a valid form of identification. Voters who meet specific eligibility requirements, such as having certain disabilities, could apply in advance to return their ballot by mail.
Mail-in ballots became widely controversial during and after the 2020 U.S. presidential election, but Utahns have seen a drastic shift
in using mail-in ballots to cast their vote.
“Voting by mail has become increasingly popular and in demand, with the state legislature implementing it statewide in 2020,”
Weber County Clerk/Auditor Ricky Hatch said. “The trends have shown an increasing number of voters returning their ballot by mail or drop box.”
HB 300 also included a requirement of staffing two poll workers at each ballot drop box during operational hours. Drop boxes will be accessible from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekdays during the five business days leading up to an election.
“Part of the reason we went this way was the cost to put on an election was very heavy on counties,” Leah Murray, Weber State political science and philosophy professor, said. “In the United States, counties run elections. They’re
the ones who pay for everything. If you want to have a poll worker, you were paying them hundreds of dollars a day.”
HB 300 would require Weber County to employ 40 poll workers across the county’s 20 ballot drop boxes and any additional staff at polling stations.
“It’s very cheap to print a ballot and mail it. It’s like the cost of printing plus a stamp,” Murray said. “It was a very cost-effective, fiscally responsible move to vote by mail. I think sometimes people forget that’s actually the reason we did it.”
The introduction of HB 300 comes with an observed increase in Utah’s voter turnout.
“Utah’s voter participation rate has seen the most dramatic improvement in the nation from 2014 to 2018 and again from 2018 to 2020,” Hatch said. “We’re now in the top 25%
of states in terms of voter participation.”
For many, mail-in ballots have made it easier to cast their vote.
“I am the reason we have a ballot box on this campus, and I run the voter engagement, trying to get everyone on this campus registered to vote every year,” Murray said. “I’m fully committed to getting voter turnout, especially among college students.”
Utahns now wait for the Senate to deliberate and vote on the bill.
“Regardless of the outcome of this bill, our office will always work hard to ensure that voters have all the information they need in order to cast their ballots in time,” Hatch said.
Official
WILDCAT HOCKEY’S 2024-25 SEASON COMES TO A CLOSE
By BRAYSON BROWN Asst. Editor
The 2024-25 hockey season has come to an end. After a season that was filled with highs and lows, the team looks to learn from this year to improve for the next. The Wildcats finished the season with a 21–14 record.
The season began against in-state-rival Utah State University on Sept. 13. It became an eye-opener as Utah State overtook Weber with a 4–1 victory at Weber’s own Ice Sheet. Weber quickly bounced back with a 6–5 victory over another in-state-rival University of Utah on Sept. 20.
Wins and losses came and went for Weber. In the first 10 games, Weber State’s record was 4–6. One highlight was Weber State’s first victory against the University of Providence Argos on Oct. 3. One week later, on Oct. 11, the Wildcats put on a show, scoring 12 goals against Lake Region State College.
After the slow start, Weber caught fire and won 10 of the next 12 games before the end of the fall semester. Highlights in those 12 games included two victories against the University of Utah, one against Utah Valley and one against Utah State. During the Beehive Showcase on Nov. 21-24, Weber State faced off against Colorado State University, Loyola Marymount University, Boise State University and Northern Arizona University. Weber came out on top in all four games, ending 2024 with a 14–8 record.
The team went without defenseman Jack Jones for the second half of the season. Jack was the captain of the team and one of the players who had been around the program the longest on the team.
The first game of 2025 would yet again be against the Utah State Aggies. The previous meeting between the two clubs took place at the George S. Eccles Ice Center in Logan on Nov. 15. Weber took a 3–0 advantage in that game but then took their foot off the gas and let Utah State claw back and win 4–3.
“We had the game in control and then we let them back in, and they got that goal halfway through the third period and went up on us,” head coach Yosh Ryujin said. “After we went up 3–0, they were deflated, and we didn’t keep on the gas.”
Contrary to that loss in Logan, Utah State came out with a strong 3–0 lead over the Wildcats in the first period. Weber State made a comeback in the next two periods with defenseman Aiden Thede and Noah Takitani scoring one and two goals to tie the game up 3–3, but just like the last occasion in Logan, the Aggies took the late lead and stole the game from the Wildcats, winning 4–3.
“We were just running around in the first two periods; the effort was there, but we weren’t putting our energy into the right places,” Ryujin said. “Obviously, we were able to tie the game there, so it’s unfortunate that we gave up that one with five minutes left after we spent a lot of energy getting back to even being down 3–0. You know it’s the way it goes.”
The next five games prior to the Wasatch Cup were three
wins and two losses. One of those wins was the Wildcats’ greatest margin of victory on the season with a 16–1 win over Montana Tech.
The Wasatch Cup arrived on Jan. 31; Weber was the current reigning champion. The Wildcats took on Utah Valley University in the semi-finals and won 2–1. For the finals, Weber went up against the University of Utah. Both teams fought back and forth, but Weber State pulled through and became back-to-back champions with a 4–3 victory.
“To win one of those trophies, especially the Wasatch Cup, playing a really good team in Utah, pretty much on their home ice — that was fun for us,” Ryujin said. “To be able to come into our locker room and see that trophy that we are going to keep for another year is just a reminder of the work that needs to go in to make this team successful.”
After the Wasatch Cup, the team played in the Mountain West Tournament from Feb. 6-8. The Wildcats played three games and won only against Boise State. The other two games were lop-sided victories for both Utah State and the U of U.
On senior night on Feb. 14, Utah State crashed the party and won 3–2. The very next night, Weber State crashed Utah State’s senior night and ended the regular season with a 6–4 win over the Aggies.
Grand Canyon University ended Weber’s season with a 2–1 win in the National Collegiate Hockey Association Division 2 West Regionals matchup on Feb. 21. The Wildcats got off 54 shots but only hit the back of the net once. The Wildcats would now miss out on Nationals for the first time in three years.
The top point scorers on the season were Caden Hunter, who had 19 goals and 30 assists. Kevin Norwood came in second with 12 goals and 26 assists. Cory Mater placed third on the team with 17 goals and 18 assists.
The Wildcats finished the season with their highest winning tally taking place away from home. The team won 12 games away from the Weber County Ice Sheet with only eight losses on opposing ice. As for their home record, they went 9–6. The 2025-26 season will start in September.
Weber State hockey players celebrating a goal made against the University of Montana.
Weber State University Hockey scores the Wasatch Cup in the 2024 season.
Wildcats celebrate after forward Cole VanOrman’s goal in overtime to win the game. Weber State University’s hockey
at the Ice Sheet.
THE SIGNPOST TEAM
Editor-in-Chief
Brisa Odenthal brisaodenthal@mail.weber.edu
Managing Editor
Emilie Hart emiliehart@mail.weber.edu
Design & Graphics Editor
Star Neil starneil@mail.weber.edu
Asst. Design & Graphics Editor Matthew Holland matthewholland@mail.weber.edu
Photo Editor Anna Kuglar briannakuglar@mail.weber.edu
